Actions Have Consequences
by anxresi
Summary: Chloe Bourgeois has got away with a lot in her privileged life. Bullying, lying, using money to get her way... it's safe to say up till now, she's lived a charmed existence. Siding with a known criminal mastermind though, in an attempt to conquer the city and kill Ladybug and Chat Noir may be going too far, even for her... Set after the S3 finale.
1. Things Get Ridiculous

"Ridiculous, utterly _ridiculous_!" That was the oft-repeated phrase which emitted from the flawless lips of one Chloe Bourgeois, as she haughtily emerged from her limousine from just outside College Dupont.

What had made her pettily utter those words seemingly out of nowhere and to no-one in particular was dwelling on what had transpired just yesterday, a chain of events so annoying it was like the whole world conspired against her.

First, she'd missed out on her chance to become Queen Of Paris, due to the inconvenient exertions of that spotted do-gooder known as Ladybug (of whom she was definitely now **not** a fan) and her mangy feline sidekick, sometimes referred to as Chat Noir.

Then, just as it looked like she was about to get a fresh start in New York with her mother, the simpering idiot had only gone and made up with her father from their earlier tempestuous quarrel. _I always wanted them to get on better as a child, but why did they have to leave it until… now? At the worst possible time?!_

To top it all off, ever since that fateful incident everyone around her seemed to be acting… odd. Nothing major perhaps, but there was definitely a change in demeanour from those she interacted with on a daily basis (mostly servants, of course: they tended to be the only ones who knew their proper place).

A dirty look there… a whispered remark here… it certainly seemed as though a new unwelcoming hostile atmosphere affected every room she wandered into.

She didn't like it. One bit. She'd fire the ungrateful peasants on the spot if she could get her Daddy's permission, but the lovestruck fool was so focused on his 'second honeymoon' with Audrey, it was impossible to get through even by shouting directly into his ear.

Which she'd already tried. Repeatedly.

No matter. She would soldier on as always, and bat away the snide comments and jealous frowns with her all-round fabulosity. Obviously losing both Pollen and the Bee Miraculous was a major blow, but even without it she ruled the roost around here, whether those sniveling morons liked it or not. Speaking of which…

"_Where_ is that useless packhorse Sabrina?!" The irate blonde fumed through gritted teeth, as she waited in vain for the usually punctual redhead to meet her by the front entrance. _This is exam week, so I have an extra-large load of books to carry today. I need her help to take them in, put them on my desk… before letting me copy her answers. She better get an 'A+' this time instead of that miserable 'A' like last year, or I won't lend her my cute beret again. Occasionally, it helps to have the right type of bone to tempt the dog._

But whilst her scowling chauffeur drove away and the rest of the student body sauntered past her without so much as a second glance, Chloe realized with a sinking feeling that Sabrina, for the first time in _ages,_ was not going to be there to transport her heavy load indoors…

...And then it started raining. Heavily.

Seeing as Chloe had no intention of getting her beautiful golden tresses drenched, not to mention her expensive outfit (that she never seemed to change) the cursing heiress saw no other option but to struggle inside with the miniature library herself.

_Wait 'til I get my hands on that treacherous nerd. They'll be hell to pay, mark my words… hey, that rhymes! I'm ssoooo clever, why does no-one else see it…?!_

Splish-splash.

….

If Chloe thought the somewhat subtle undertones of disgust for her back at the hotel were bad, she hadn't seen anything until she staggered into the college that morning.

Unlike the servants who lived in fear of losing their jobs and mortgage, the pupils at the school had no such boundaries preventing them from expressing their contempt towards the shocked blonde.

And do so, they did.

_W-What on Earth is going on?_ Chloe struggled to contrast the high opinion she had of herself with the various insults and threats she received wherever she turned. _Don't these parasites know who I am? I could have any of them expelled in a heartbeat! They're lucky to even be breathing the same air as me! A-And yet, they're not scared of my influence? My heritage? My intimidating sense of style? W-Who do they think they…_

"Oopsie, better watch yourself, Blondie!" A lanky girl who's name she couldn't quite remember (though there was a vague recollection of calling her Pizza Face last term) 'accidentally' stumbled into Chloe, causing her to fall head-over-heels to the floor with her books scattering everywhere to boot.

"H-Hey, that was no accident!" Chloe thought out loud, as the hateful expressions of the various students turned to looks of amusement as they swiftly gathered around to mock her dejected form as one. "Y-You did that on purpose!"

"Ya _think_?!" The spotty ruffian responsible for the heiress's humiliation spat in return, before striding off defiantly to the accompaniment of many a firm backslap and warm cheer.

"W-Where do you think you're going? S-Stay here and help me pick these things up this _instant_! That's an order!" Chloe tried to instill fear in the normal way by means of her commanding voice, but unlike before all this seemed to do was further increase the endless taunting and laughter around her prostrate form.

"T-That's it! I'm telling my Daddykin… no actually, he's pretty useless at the moment." Chloe withdraw her threat hastily, considering how obsessed he was now with his sappy wife. _I know! I'll tell my teacher! She'd never ignore me or reject me! After all, I brought her that present for…_

But whilst the blonde reflected on the few remaining people she might be able to confide in, the bell ominously rang in the background, signifying the beginning of lessons.

The people cloistered around Chloe reluctantly abandoned their sport to trudge off to their respective classes, leaving the heiress all by herself at long last.

She'd never been more grateful to be alone.

…..

"M-Miss Bustier! M-Miss Bustier! I've been a victim of systemic and prolonged bullying! It's so like, not fair! T-They called me horrible names and looked at me funny… one soon-to-be-dead girl with freckles even dared to shove me over! That's why I don't have my books with me today, because I'm not picking up those things again. Besides, Sabrina was supposed to help me with them, and she didn't even turn up! Now that was just plain rude… _huh_?!"

Chloe arrived in her classroom like a tornado, bursting through the door and running straight for her teacher's desk, all whilst gesticulating wildly and grinding her teeth to a fine powder.

The blonde's flight of fury didn't last for very long, however. For a few irregular things caught her attention even in the midst of her public meltdown, and caused her to simmer down in abject surprise.

"S-Sabrina, _what _are you doing sitting next to that fibbing liar?" Chloe reacted with astonishment at her bestie adjacent to a smirking Lila. "I didn't give you permission to move… _hey_, look at me when I'm talking to… _why_ is everyone acting so weird today?!"

"Chloe, _so _nice to see you today! Well actually, I already saw you on the News At Nine last night, but still…" Something was different about Miss Bustier. Gone was the common bond that'd previously existed between pupil and teacher, to be replaced by something much frostier altogether. "What was that I just heard you complain about? 'Bullying'? Well, I suppose if anyone would be an expert on the subject, it might be you. Tell you what… after this lesson is concluded, you tell me all about what happened and I'll take the appropriate steps. But for now, we have a much more important matter to address."

"I told you! I can't do any work now, because my books are outside!" Chloe insisted in earnest, pleading with the unmoved adult. " If I tried to drag them any further, I'd probably come down with a bad back. Do you have _any idea_ how hard it is to find a decent masseur these days…"

"No Miss Bourgeois, I can't say that I do." Miss Bustier snapped at the blonde, clearly unimpressed with her veiled boast. "I'll tell you something I _do_ know, though. Want to hear it?"

"E-Er, I don't see how it could compare to my life-ending problems, but alright." Chloe was not in the habit of listening to the tedious gripes of the lower-classes, but never let it be said she didn't have the occasional moment of generosity. "Go ahead, tell me then. I haven't got all day."

"I know about a person who aided and abetted a known terrorist, betraying their entire city in the process, and they would've gotten away with it too if it wasn't for the thankless heroics of two well-known superheroes. Now, I'm struggling to know what to do with them. I suppose I should take into account their terrible upbringing and young age, but really that's no excuse for almost bringing the entirety of Paris to its knees. Perhaps you might be able to help me decide what to do next…"

"Oh, that's easy! Lock them up, and throw away the key! Give them nothing but moldy old bread and stale water to eat and drink! Take away everything valuable to them, so they know what true deprivation and punishment is! There's only way to deal with terrible traitors like that… and that's to make them _suffer_!" Whether Chloe was being completely stupid or wilfully blind, who can say.

In any case, Miss Bustier grinned pleasantly at her pupil, apparently happy at the contribution the blonde had made to her big decision. "Thank you, Chloe. I can now speak the following sentence without fear of guilt, knowing you feel that way: 'Oh Officer Raincomprix… you can come in now'."

It was only as the local lawman entered the room to regard the nonplussed blonde with distaste, combined with the other stony-faced expressions from those around her (aside from Adrien's look of sad disappointment and Lila's undisguised snickering) that she finally realized who they were talking about…

...And it looked like a certain wealthy blonde was in a _lot_ of trouble.

"Y-You mean… _me_?!" The utterly shellshocked Chloe stated matter-of-factly.

Oh dear. Still, maybe a chance for some of those overpriced lawyers to start earning their keep.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Yeah, yeah… I already have other stories I should be working on, but after watching the S3 finale and Chloe's end to a wasted redemption arc (which never ever really got going TBH) I just had to write this about the possible aftermath.

I'll add more to it soon, and hopefully finished it before S4 starts up. See you later! :)


	2. Things Get Even More Ridiculous

Being arrested in front of your not-so-esteemed classmates and led outside to a waiting police car is most definitely _not_ how a shell-shocked Chloe Bourgeois thought she'd be starting her morning education with.

Especially at the mitts of that bumbling overweight fool _Rolan_..._Ronal_… Sabrina's dad. Not only was she absolutely _sure_ that the mere concept of hand sanitization was a foreign concept for him, the thought of being frogmarched about by such an inferior individual was almost too galling to bear.

"I'll sue you… and you… and as for _you_, our friendship is officially over, for _good_ this time!" Never one to go quietly, Chloe spit her poison scattershot on her way to the exit, especially focusing her ire on a certain redhead, who despite her apparent nonchalance, was surely tearing up behind those geeky glasses of hers.

_I've got to her, I can tell_. Chloe thought smugly, even though there wasn't any actual evidence of this whatsoever. _As soon as that parasitic Italian has finished with her, she'll be back kissing my Jimmy Choos quicker than I can snap my fingers. Which is how I've trained her to obey. Clever, no?_

Maybe so (if you appreciated common brainwashing Pavlovian techniques) but this didn't exactly help Chloe out in her current predicament.

Worse was soon to follow. Even though the various faculty members bellowed strict instructions for them not to jettison their seats, many a classroom door burst open to see the emerging spectacle outside… and the gobsmacked students nearly fell over themselves in amazement at the prestigious identity of this wanted criminal in their midst.

"Hi, whatever-your-name-is! And you over there, catching flies in your mouth! Take a picture, it'll last longer!" Defiant to the last, Chloe alternated between sneering and sniping as the mocking faces from earlier turned to ones of curiosity and intrigue… that decided to take her up on her not completely serious offer to snap or film away with their various mobile devices.

"Mind your head, Miss." Ever the true professional, Roger hadn't bat an eyelid on this eventful journey to the back of his cop car, as he guided his temporary prisoner to the passenger seat before clambering inside himself. "...And strap yourself in. We'll be at the station in just a few minutes, but you can never be too careful.

"Eww. _Gross_." Chloe wrinkled her nose in disgust at the impressive collection of fast-food wrappers on the floor, for no-one could ever accuse Roger of being a clean freak. "You honestly expect me to travel anywhere in that garbage dump on wheels? Do you even know who I am?!"

"I think the arrest warrant was quite clear, ma'am." Roger seemed unconcerned by the constant gripes of his snooty charge, and turned the ignition key to rev up the engine. "Unless, you're telling me there's another 'Chloe Amber Bourgeois' who resides at the 'La Grande Hotel'?"

"O-Of course not! Don't be so stupid!" Chloe fumed petulantly, not realizing that by accepting this she was implicating herself. "My point is… can't my butler take me down to wherever it is we're going now later on, at a time which is slightly more convenient to me? And in, I dare say, a slightly more presentable vehicle?"

"I'm very sorry Miss, but things don't work that way here. The rules for arrest are very clear, and if you have any problems with them, you should take it up with your father." Roger stated the facts plainly and simply, before adding as a slight aside "I'm already not cuffing you due to your status as a minor. That's the best I can do, I'm afraid."

_Wow, What a gentleman. I suppose I have his daughter to thank for my public humiliation. I can only hope I can do the same for her, one day._ Chloe stared with undisguised bile at the grinning image of her former bestie pinned affectionately on Roger's dashboard. _She's always been jealous of how much better I am than her. But what a pathetic, petty prank to pull… wait, __**what**__ is that awful sound?!_

Chloe's bitter thoughts of revenge and resentment towards her ex-bestie were abruptly forgotten, as the most appalling racket emerged from the crackling radio of the squad car. It wasn't classical, it wasn't opera… in fact, it sounded like a fusion of the worst musical genres in history lumped together into an unlovely, unlovable cacophony of noise.

"What, you don't like country/western?" Roger answered informally for once, somewhat taken aback by the blonde's disappreciation of his favorite tunes. "This is so much better than the stuff they play nowadays. Me and the wife love it! In fact, we just returned from a weekend hoedown with Sabrina last week. Gee, that girl sure can linedance! She did her old man proud…"

"I don't wanna know! I-don't-wanna-know! _La la la_…" Chloe was this close to jabbing her fingers in her ear to escape the cringeworthy second hand embarrassment. "At least now I know why she wasn't around last Sunday to finish my algebra. Sick auntie, my foot. Anyway, whoever-you-are… is it alright with you if I change the channel? There must be something vaguely listenable on the airways today, if we're lucky…"

"No." Roger bluntly stated, returning to his earlier mood of brusqueness and duty. The admission and reminder that his arrestee regularly treated his daughter like an unpaid slave can't have helped matters, either. "My car, my rules. And the name is 'Officer Raincomprix' to you, Miss. Now sit back and relax, we'll be there before you know it."

"..._Fine_." Chloe finally gave into the demands of her completely unreasonable captor, and slunk back in her chair with her arms folded to powerlessly await whatever cruel outcome Fate might decide to throw her way next.

Things couldn't get any worse… could they?

…...

AUTHORS NOTE: The quickest of quick updates for now, but they'll be coming thick and fast from now on to make up for it. Be seeing you very soon! ;)


	3. The Height Of Ridiculousness

The journey to the station in the back of possibly the most messy police car in Paris was not an especially pleasant one, as you can well imagine for an individual of Chloe's 'position' in society.

Not only did Chloe have to tolerate Roger's appalling attempts at karaoke, the remnants of last night's stakeout takeaway rolling around by her feet and the occasional cryptic glance from other curious motorists at the illustrious identity of the city's latest criminal scourge...

She felt… _alone_.

No Mr Cuddly to hug her into pretending everything was okay, when it quite clearly wasn't.

No Jean-Claude(?) to confide in when the never-ending pressure of being 'fabulous' everyday became too much.

No Daddykins to write a big check for her latest mistake because after all… money solves everything, right?

No Mother to complain to regarding the blatant inferiority of all others… after all, it's what she'd been taught from the cradle.

Even Adrien and Sabrina had apparently abandoned her to the machinations of the clearly corrupt justice system. She hadn't heard from her blonde-haired former playmate since that failed tryst with Hawkmoth earlier, and as for S-Sabrina…

"Here we are, Miss. Now please, get out of the car and let's see you inside." Roger's booming voice sounded out, and Chloe realized that she was so lost in her thoughts she hadn't even realized they'd arrived at their destination.

"Whatever. As soon as this sorry spectacle is all over with, 'Officer Raincomprix', the quicker I can take you and everyone else behind this ludicrous decision to court, after I get you fired and publicly shamed for unethical conduct, of course…"

"M-Miss, are you okay?" Despite Chloe's harsh words, Roger for some reason felt obliged to lean over and talk to the heiress in a very sincere tone. "You look as though you've been crying. Would you like me to get you a tissue? I think I still have a sealed napkin from yesterday's meal..."

"**W-What**? D-Don't be so ridiculous, you stupid oaf! I merely smudged my mascara when you roughly manhandled me out of college, that's all!" A panicking Chloe quickly concocted an alibi for her less-than-presentable appearance. "Now… I would like to call my parents to let them know how the law is wasting euros persecuting innocent teenage girls when there are murderers and muggers out there that really need your attention! I hope you haven't grown attached to your badge, because I'm pretty sure you'll be losing it by the time this all comes out in the press!"

"If you say so Miss, but if you ever need anyone to talk to here, we have people for that on standby twenty-four hours." Ignoring Chloe's aggressive demeanour towards him, Roger continued to show real concern. "Anyway, shall we get you booked in?"

The blonde was still processing the officer's genuine worry for her even after giving him the third degree, when the last two words there stuck in her head.

" 'Booked in'?! _Who_ would make reservations to stay in a place like this, with so many much nicer hotels like mine available. Besides, I haven't even made any. Does this mean I can go now?"

….

No, it did _not_ mean Chloe could 'go now', much to her obvious chagrin.

What it _did_ mean was a whole load of petulant screaming and shrieking could be heard for miles around, which had hardened officers quaking in their boots and tough detectives pondering if this was grounds for early retirement.

"Ugh! No, you will _not_ be taking my photograph, not with me looking like a scarecrow left out in the field all night! And keep that dirty inkpad away from my fingers! I didn't spend an entire hour scrubbing my nails in a _golden _bathtub this morning to get them covered in muck! Honestly, if this is how you treat your guests, no wonder they all look like a bunch of scruffy ne'er do wells! No offence, naturally. I'm just much better than all of you."

Only when it was candidly explained to her that the only 'guests' there were ones staying involuntarily and even worse, she'd have to _sit _with them while her data was recorded, did the hard-working men and women of the city station finally get a bit of peace and quiet.

After all, it's a bit difficult to behave like a spoiled princess when you have suspected criminals eyeing you up and in some cases, even _winking_ suggestively at you. The horror!

Needless to say, the prospect of staying any longer in a room with these unwashed hooligans was just enough for Chloe to put up and shut up, at least for now.

As anyone 'fortunate' enough to know her could tell you, make the most of the brief respites from Chloe's temper… because whatever made her stop in the first place, would only result in the heiress redoubling her efforts later.

Luckily though, this wasn't the weekend… and the lack of people picked up for being drunk and disorderly meant that she didn't have too much longer to wait. Soon a tap on the shoulder indicated the delay was over, and a morose Chloe spun about to gaze apprehensively into the beaming face of a smiling policewoman.

"Hi there dear, I'm Officer Haprele." She spoke in a friendly, quiet way… but the first thing the hyper-critical blonde noticed about her was her lack of height and chubbiness. "I deal with most of the young girls we get in here, due to me having a teenage daughter of my own. Shall we get you into a private room, so you can call your parents? I heard from Roger you've made that request, but it can get a bit raucous out here so I'd understand if you'd wanted to hang on…"

"I don't know who 'Roger' is, but for a change, one of you flatfoots are correct. How am I supposed to phone them with all of these hoodlums listening in? Why isn't there a special premium service for the Paris elite, so we can be processed quickly and not have to rub shoulders with common crooks? This entire place needs rigorous reform, and as soon as I'm restored to more suitable surroundings I intend on being the person to bring about that much-needed change. Or at least complain about it non-stop to my Daddy, until it gets done." Chloe had been stewing in silence for long enough, and now she had a willing listener again, her mouth was ready to blast away with both barrels.

Oddly enough though, just like her equally rotund male colleague before, Officer Haprele didn't seem at all bothered by the blonde's fresh outrage... and instead affectionately smoothed the teen's ponytail out. "It's okay, dear. I can understand how a place like this can make someone your age a bit intimidated, especially if you've never been arrested before. Perhaps, if you have the sort of influence you describe, you could help set up a separate center for juvenile offenders to be taken to? It would sure help in cutting back on our workload, as well as give them better provisions for counselling and parole! And maybe, if you're really feeling extra-generous, you could put in a good word for us when the union applies for our annual pay raise next month…"

"E-Er, I'll see what I can d-do…" Chloe wasn't used to her harsh words being countered by such unabashed positivity and even a slight giggle from the cheerful lady, and so wasn't quite sure what to say next. "Can we go now, please? I'm the next in line to the great Bourgeois name, not a piece of meat to be gawked at by the vagrant underclass!"

"Just a moment dear, let me just check your charge sheet, so we know what we're dealing with here. Your name is 'Chloe'... well yes, I knew that already! Your photo, fingerprint, personal data… everything appears to be in order." Officer Hyprele studied a stack of paperwork in her hands with interest, before a shocked expression appeared on her usually optimistic face, and almost made her drop the lot. "O-Oh my. T-This can't be right. There must be a mistake… Louie must have mistyped, or something. I keep telling him not to work so many late nights, no matter how much of a coffee addiction he has…"

"Wait a sec. What the heck are you talking about?" Chloe asked with a raised eyebrow, suddenly feeling nervous all of a sudden. "If this is about my grotesque appearance in the image, I'll have you know, I didn't even have time to reapply my organic facial mask before…"

"N-No, it's not that, dear…" Officer Haprele gulped, her voice noticeably shaking. "It's just, according to this, you're being charged with… h-high t-treason!"

….

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is where the story really starts kicking into gear, so I hope you're following it closely. Hope what is soon to follow is just as dramatic and riveting as I intend for it to be. See you soon! :)


	4. Intermission: Sabrina

The day I first met Chloe it was snowing heavily, and the temperature was near freezing.

I remember this because Mom insisted on dressing me up like an Eskimo (although, I hear 'Inuit' is the more acceptable term these days) and Dad almost skid on the ice en route to school.

He was only a junior officer then, and any slight dent in the car he'd just been commissioned might've irreparably prevented his chances at climbing the ranks to being who he is today.

Fortunately, he just managed to break at the last second, and the only damage was to his ego as the other driver shook their fist at him before speeding off.

"Don't tell Mommy about this, 'kay? You know how she worries when I'm on patrol..." Dad leaned in close after the near-collision, somehow finding a gap among my layers of clothing to deposit a thawing kiss upon my frozen cheek.

He didn't even have to ask, actually. We always did share a lot of secrets together, and still do. That doesn't mean to say that I don't love Mother very much. She's just as intelligent as me, and can't be beaten at Trivial Pursuit. Besides, I can think of much worse ones out there… in fact, my _former _best friend's…

Oops, getting a bit ahead of myself here. Let's return to my first day at proper school, shall we?

What I'm getting at is, I was always something of a 'Daddy's Girl'. The same way he protects Paris now alongside Chat Noir and Ladybug (although I admire him even more for not even _needing_ a costume) he used to stop people from picking on me just because I had red hair, glasses, no fashion sense, was a bit of a 'geek'...

All of these traits individually might not have been a big deal, but together they virtually made me a social pariah… even in Ecole Maternelle. ('Kindergarten' for all you non-native speakers).

The other little kids would throw paint at each other and engage in non-stop roughhousing, whereas I contentedly curled in the corner with a good book from the local librarian: who also happened to be my mother. (The picture ones with BIG writing there were nowhere near challenging enough, without trying to sound prideful).

Naturally though, this made me top target of all the most rambunctious children there… so my valued study time was constantly interrupted by grubby hands pulling at my pigtails or flicking boogers at the exposed pages.

Needless to say, I don't look back at my early childhood with any great affection. That includes the teacher too, who mostly let the immature brats get on with their unprovoked harassment. I suppose she was just happy to have a ready-made distraction from herself being the object of their constant persecution. Nice job, lady.

In any case, after a few months it became impossible to hide the various tufts of hair pulled violently from my scalp or the terrible conditions of the returned library books which always had to be replaced. Funnily enough, not many people want to borrow novels with sticky streaks of green and yellow inside.

Mother, upon discovering the awful truth, took her usual neutral position of 'let's see how it goes', thinking that perhaps things would settle down on their own and rocking the boat would just make things worse.

Father though… it's safe to say, as much as he worshipped his wife, there was a slight disagreement there.

After a hastily arranged 'career' day with Dad turning up in full uniform unexpectedly at the group, warning in the strongest possible terms that the most likely individuals to end up behind bars were bullies… and inside the 'big house' there was no TV, no candy and most _definitely _no mommy and daddy to kiss their boo-boos better, things changed dramatically overnight.

The only problem was, even though the ratio of those picking on me went to around 0% in a flash, because people were now legitimately _terrified_ of this daughter of a cop who could do such terrible things to them, I began being treated like some kind of leper. (I'm sorry for my lack of political correctness today, my current state of anger may be affecting my usual verbal tact).

No-one would sit with me at lunch. If I was on the swings, everyone else would climb the jungle gym. At hometime, kids would rush to their parents and cling on tight, frightened out of their wits that 'the nasty girl with the glasses' would forcibly have them taken away. There were also numerous rumors of a national epidemic of bedwetting. Oops.

How he escaped discipline for such a blatant abuse of his position, who knows. I guess it's true what they say: cops always stick together.

It is also caused a bit of friction at home, with Mom accusing Dad of acting way too hastily, and Dad unrepentant in his decision to defend his precious little girl in any way he could.

This tumultuous debate carried on even beyond the blessed day I finally departed that wretched place and prepared for junior school, by which point I was absolutely convinced there were but two choices in life: being smart or popular.

Let's just say, based on my experiences so far, I had little chance with the latter.

Nevertheless, even as I dreaded what now lay ahead, my feuding parents at last reached a proper compromise which they'd hopefully stick to regarding my future educational needs.

Mother would play a more active role in ensuring I was safe and well rather than putting all of her focus on stamping overdue encyclopedias, and Father would encourage me to defend myself from bullies without threatening the full weight of the justice system on the young perpetrators' heads.

So it was settled. I was unceremoniously dumped outside a strange school, with nary a friend to my name and a quickly muttered 'I love you' from Dad as he screeched off to investigate reports of a break-in at the city aquarium.

I guess the mystery of the missing dolphin was more important than the happiness and health of his only daughter. Alrighty then, glad we cleared that one up.

If I sound irritated, it's because I was, and still am by the events of that fateful day. If he'd stuck around for just a bit longer rather than chasing fins, then perhaps what happened next could've been prevented, and I'd still have some semblance of self-respect, dignity and independence.

For that was the day I was to meet the bane of my existence, the worst six-year old in the world and the girl destined to shape my life and identity in so many awful ways…

...Who also happened to be my very best (and only) friend.

Yes folks, you guessed it. Today was the day I met Chloe Bourgeois.

To be continued soon…

….

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Just thought I'd provide a bit of backstory for someone set to play a major role in this little tale. Next chapter, it's back to the main action… but this blast from the past will be completed later, when the time is right. Hope you're all having a great weekend, and next update will arrive very shortly… ^^


	5. The Ridiculousness Continues

"Mmmmm…" Chloe yawned as she gradually emerged from her daily sleep, eyes slowly adjusting to the light of day in her own room which had never looked so beautiful. "What a horrible nightmare, thank goodness it's all over now though. I really must stop munching on those cheesy vol-au-vents before my nightly nap, they do weird things to one's thoughts. Mr Cuddly, be a dear and fetch me my robe. For once, I can't wait to get to school and just have a normal… wait, since when did you grow six foot? And why are you wearing a _butler's_ outfit?!"

"It's because you're still dreaming Chloe, more's the pity." The suddenly enormous stuffed animal looked her over, creepily answering without moving it's static lips. "But it's nice being your servant, even if it is just temporarily. How about a nice glass of water? If anything'll wake you up, it's a bit of the ol' H2 of O. Which is about the only chemical formula you know. Science classes… who needs 'em? Mrs Mendeleiev… what a freak show! I mean, the only thing worse than purple hair is blue hair, if you know what I'm saying…!"

"...Right!" Despite her ongoing confusion, Chloe couldn't help but let out a small chuckle at this juncture, before the gravity of the situation hit her like a ton of bricks. "I mean, _wrong_! Everything here is wrong! The color of the wallpaper! The position of my bed! And since when do we have _two_ suns?!"

"Haven't you been listening Chlo… oh, who am I trying to kid? The only person you ever pay any attention to is yourself. Your mother's pride and joy all over." The exceedingly opinionated Mr Cuddly continued to speak, his glass eyes staring blankly at nothing in particular. "How the chap before me held onto this job so long, I don't know. Dumb loyalty, I suppose. Anyway, back to the matter at hand. Or should I say, 'paw'. Here's your water, fresh from the faucet. Best of luck in the waking world… from what I understand, you're gonna need it! This is MC Bear signing off, wishing you safe travels and a very jolly holiday!"

"What the… _splutter_" were the only words that left Chloe's lips, before the sensation of something wet and liquidy being poured over her head caused her to close her eyes in surprise.

When she opened them again to find herself back in reality, it was a toss-up to decide which was more desirable: staying where she'd been in Fantasyland in a completely unfamiliar room waited on by a giant-size anthropomorphic soft toy…

...Or returning to whence she belonged, and dealing with the slight fallout from that insignificant act of domestic terrorism she almost helped perpetuate the other day.

Maybe, despite the obviously creepy undertones of the situation, she'd be muttering 'Bring Back The Bear' sooner than she'd thought.

….

"Aargh! Where am I now?!" Chloe rose once more in a strange place, where a lot of devices bleeped and the prevailing shade appeared to be pale white. "Why do I feel so woozy? Why does it stink of disinfectant in here? And… where the _heck_ is my jacket?!"

"Here I am… Here I am!" Not a gargantuan Mr Cuddly this time around, but a far more human-looking Office Haprele bustled over from a nearby chair to greet the blonde's confused form, smiling apologetically while doing so. "I had to bring you to the station infirmary when you fainted as I read out your charges. Sorry if that was presumptuous of me, but I had to make sure you were okay. While you were resting, I also took the liberty of removing your tight jacket, because it looked uncomfortable on you as you tossed and turned. Also your shoes, because our patients tend to not wear them in bed…"

"Whatever. As soon as I call my parents and they get their expensive lawyers on this _outrageous_ miscarriage of justice, the quicker I can go back to my old life and sue everyone responsible for…" Chloe stopped mid-sentence, her attempts at reasserting control interrupted by something she'd just heard. "W-Wait. What do you mean, '_charges_'?!"

"Oh, silly me! I must've carried on speaking after you were out for the count. Let me pick up from the part where you left the scene, and see if we can't fill in the blanks. High treason… Aiding and abetting a known enemy of the state… Theft of a 'Miraculous', whatever that is... thousands of counts of possession… oh, that's 'possession' of people dear, not of drugs or weapons, thank the stars…"

"B-But I was akumatized at the time! I'm not responsible for any of that!" Chloe protested by way of waving her arms frantically, beads of sweat running down her already damp forehead. "Anyway, I was only trying to take what was rightfully mine. Can you believe that idiot Ladybug was going to give my precious Pollen to someone else to wear! As if they'll ever be a better Queen Bee than moi! How was I ever a fan of that spotted loser in the first place?! It's ridiculous, utterly r…"

"Sorry dear, I didn't mean to make you anxious, but I'm just reading what it says in here." Officer Haprele motioned to the thick file with Chloe's name on it she'd somehow carried all the way down to the hospital wing. "If I was to give you any advice though, it would be to try not sounding so flippant around the judge. I think they all expect the highest level of respect while in court, and you way you conduct yourself during the trial could make a big difference between whether you'll spend a short amount of time in a juvenile facility before being released, or graduating to an adult prison eventually when you're old enough. If you're found guilty, of course..."

"That's **it**!" Chloe leapt to her feet at that precise moment, shoeless feet on the stone cold floor be damned. "I don't want to hear any more of this preposterous nonsense until I've spoken to Daddykins! The whole thing is a complete stitch-up, a frame job, a total farce… probably started by sad jealous people who'll never have a _zillionth_ of my class and caliber! Tell me, who put you up to this?! Was one of the complainants a short dumpy girl, with prescription spectacles and the worst taste in cardigans like, _ever_? Answer me, and I may even let you keep your job, 'Officer Haprele'. Or maybe not for much longer, we shall see."

"E-Erm, I can check, but I'm pretty sure we're not allowed to release that information…" The poor flustered police worker tried without success to placate the raging heiress towering over her. "You'll probably be able to find out more from your lawyer regarding the exact nature of the allegations against you, whenever they arrive. S-Speaking of which, I have a funny story to tell you! When you lost consciousness earlier, your wallet fell out of your pocket and I wasn't sure how long you'd be asleep for. It sort of occured to me how worried your parents must be, so I took the liberty of using your contact card to call them myself. I-I hope I didn't overstep my boundaries, but I couldn't stop thinking that if you were my daughter, I'd want to know you were alright…"

"You. Did. **WHAT**?!" Chloe's piercing yell echoed all round the usually serene medical center, halting all other interaction instantly and causing every single eye to be focused on her stamping and stomping form.

It would be fair to guess though, it wasn't _quite_ the kind of attention she'd usually welcome.

"Making a public spectacle of oneself again, I see. Honestly… I can't take you anywhere, can I? This is why I never even entertained the notion of taking you with me to New York, darling. Do you have _any idea_ of the devastating impact it would have on my glittering career if you had one of your childish tantrums during Fashion Week? Why, I'd never be able to show my face in the Big Apple again! Honestly Courgette, as much as I love and cherish you and all that jazz, you really are _so_ unexceptional in a lot of ways compared to me! How _truly_ disappointing…!"

Despite Chloe's near-eruption at that precise moment, the sound of a far more ancient and deadly volcano had the apoplectic teen simmering down within seconds...

...For none other than magazine editor, clothes critic and professional put-down artist Audrey Bourgeois had entered the building, followed closely by her meek and mild husband Mayor Andre tailing behind. It might've said on paper that he had the most authority of the pair, but everyone who knew them well would tell you this would be a tragic error of judgement.

...Also. possibly a fatal one, if you happened to query their longstanding hierarchy in front of her. Not a wise move.

"...So there I was, booking a vacation to Vegas for me and my beloved to rekindle our eternal romance, when I find we have to cancel because my disobedient progeny has decided to get herself arrested! Oh, who'd be a mother nowadays! Well go on child, speak up. What have you done _this_ time?! And wipe those silly tears away this instant! This isn't a kitchen, and no-one's peeling any onions here…!"

…

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Wow Mr Bourgeois, you sure married a peach there. :p

In other news, the updates continue thick and fast, and I hope to send another one out to you good people real soon. Well,'til next time then. ^^


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